India vs England 2012: Ahmedabad Test, Day 4 - As it happened

Live updates from the fourth day of the first Test between India and England in Ahmedabad.

Feroz Khan/Zeenews Sports Bureau

SCORECARD » MATCH REPORT» ALSO READ: IT’S PAYBACK TIME FOR DHONI AND HIS MEN ALSO READ: NEW SELECTORS FOLLOW OLD TREND» JOIN THE DEBATE: IS INDIAN TEAM READY FOR LIFE WITHOUT TENDULKAR? ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 128 II Score: 340/5 (Cook 168*, Prior 84*) As umpire Aleem Dar lifted the bails to signal the end of the fourth day’s play, smile would have returned on the faces of England players in the dressing room and the few fans present in the stadium. At same point on the previous day, they were preparing to delay the inevitable – an innings defeat at the hands of their hosts. However, the begining of their second innings after following-on was quite assuring that the visitors had no plans of going down meekly. Their skipper Alastair Cook displayed immense patience and determination to produce a master-class of an innings in probing conditions to lead his team out of danger – the ignominy of an innings defeat. Along with Matt Prior, captain Cook has compiled an unbeaten century stand for the sixth wicket to guide England’s second innings away from the shadows of an innings defeat and in fact helped his team take a lead of 10 runs over India. By lunch the English team looked destined to suffer another collapse but thanks to a classy innings from Cook and some positive strokeplay from Prior, the match has now been taken to the fifth and final day. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 122 II Score: 334/5 (Cook 165*, Prior 81*) England have now a taken a lead of four runs over India after being forced to follow-on. Alastair Cook is now fourth on the list of highest individual scores by a visiting captain in India. The highest on the list is by Clive Llyod (242*). Indian team has been on the field for two days which is why they are starting to look a bit weary. Not to take the credit from Prior and Cook who have been extremely determined and haven't given an inch to the bowlers. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 116 II Score: 314/5 (Cook 161*, Prior 65*) So, in all likeliness this Test is headed for a fifth day finish. Blame it on Alastair Cook who has almost singlehandedly kept the flag flying with his excellent knock that has made him the English captain with the highest score on Indian soil. Not to forget is the contribution from Matt Prior who has been quite positive in his innings assisting his skipper to continue defying the Indian attack. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 111 II Score: 306/5 (Cook 160*, Prior 60*) Cook and Prior have not let the guards down yet. These two are offering some stubborn resistance to the Indian bowling. The partnership has crossed the 100-run mark and is now worth 107 for the sixth wicket. Did Dhoni made a mistake by enforcing follow-on? The Englishmen are now just 24 runs behind. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 106 II Score: 288/5 (Cook 151*, Prior 51*) Matt Prior has completed his 23rd Test fifty. He took 109 balls and five boundaries to reach the milestone. It has been a very confident and an important knock considering all other batsmen except his captain Cook have failed to perform. Meanwhile, Cook has also completed his 150 runs. His score is the highest by an England captain in India. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 101 II Score: 271/5 (Cook 139*, Prior 46*) Yuvraj Singh aka “Pie chucker” introduced into the attack. There was a lot of talk about why Yuvi wasn’t getting to bowl considering his five wicket haul in a practice game against England. His first two deliveries produce four runs (two doubles). A total of five runs from his over. ==================================================================================== TEA ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 100 II Score: 264/5 (Cook 138*, Prior 40*) So it’s tea time on the fourth day of first Test. Both the teams should be fairly happy with how the session progressed. The home team picked two wickets while the visitors would be happy to not have caved in after the two quick dismissals. Ian Bell and Samit Patel were the two wickets to fall both courtesy Umesh Yadav. England added 82 runs to their total in 31 overs in the second session of the penultimate day. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 99 II Score: 264/5 (Cook 138*, Prior 40*) Although the current pair is looking firm but you never know with this team. The memory of the first innings collapse is still afresh. The bowlers are producing the edge but they aren’t carrying to the fielders. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 91 II Score: 253/5 (Cook 131*, Prior 36*) Cook and Prior have added 54 runs for the sixth wicket now with the majority of runs coming from the bat of the latter. The score has also gone past the 250 mark. They are now 77 runs behind. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 85 II Score: 229/5 (Cook 124*, Prior 19*) Matt Prior has struck three boundaries in his innings of 19*. Two of them came in Umesh Yadav’s 16th over – the first one played fine after Yadav sent one down the leg while the next was played square. Cook on the other hand is treating each delivery as per the merit and is not missing on the chances to score runs. He has hit 18 boundaries so far. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 76.6 II Score: 199/5 (Cook 115*, Patel 0) And it’s two in two for Yadav! Samit Patel’s stay at the crease lasted for only one ball as he was done in by a Yorker that hit him in front of middle and leg stump. Patel doesn't look happy. Yadav is on a hat-trick! ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 76.5 II Score: 199/4 (Cook 115*, Bell 22) That’s the end of Ian Bell! Umesh Yadav pitches one outside off and the ball comes back to hit him on the pads. Umpire raised his fingers to give India the breakthrough they were looking for after lunch. Bell scored 22 (59b, 4X3). ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 69 II Score: 182/3 (Cook 109*, Bell 11*) It’s lunch on Day 4 of the first Test between India and England at Ahemdabad. 31 overs were bowled in the first session with England scoring 71 runs losing three wickets. Alastair Cook has looked solid and completed another Test century. Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen are back in the hut. Compton was trapped in front by Zaheer while Trott and Pietersen fell to Ojha. Cook and Bell are in the middle for the visitors as they trail India’s first innings total by 148 runs with seven wickets in hand. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 66 II Score: 178/3 (Cook 106*, Bell 10*) Cook would be happy that Ian Bell hasn’t displayed any signs of the impatience of the first innings when he decided to attack from the very first ball that resulted in his early departure. He needs to be there with his captain and get his confidence back post the setback of a first ball duck. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 60.3 II Score: 168/3 (Cook 100*, Bell 6*) 21st Test hundred for England captain Alastair Cook. A top class innings under the circumstances. His team is on backfoot as they are following-on after conceding a big first innings lead. He has shown the intent and is leading from the front. He reached the milestone with a couple in the deep off Umesh Yadav. He has hit 16 boundaries in his innings so far. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 59.1 II Score: 160/3 (Cook 98*, Pietersen 2) And Ojha has castled Kevin Pietersen again! Tossed up and landing on the leg stump line, Pietersen bent on one knee and went for a sweep. The ball went around his legs to wake up the off stump bail from its slumber. KP has a long walk back to the pavilion after scoring just 2 (6b). Ojha has dismissed KP in both the innings. Ian Bell is the new man in. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 57.1 II Score: 156/2 (Cook 96*, Trott 17) Jonathan Trott is out! Skipper MS Dhoni changed the end from where Pragyan Ojha was previously bowling and first ball he delivers a wicket. Tossed up and Trott comes forward but the ball bounces and turns away taking the edge and Dhoni completes a good catch. A wry smile on Trott’s face as he walks back to the pavilion. He scored 17 (43b, 4X2) ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 50 II Score: 135/1 (Cook 88*, Trott 6*) The opening pair has set up a great platform for the upcoming batsmen. Cook is nearing a well deserved hundred while the Indian bowlers are trying to make life difficult for the new batsman Jonathan Trott. England are now 195 runs behind. ==================================================================================== ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 45 II Score: 123/1 (Cook 86*, Compton 37) Zaheer Khan gets the breakthrough for India. A good length delivery hits Nick Compton on the pad as he missed it while trying to play it across. Zaheer appeals and umpire raises his finger. Compton scored 37 (128b,4X2). ==================================================================================== AT STUMPS ON DAY 3 ENGLAND (Following on) Over: 38 II Score: 111/0 (Cook 74*, Compton 34*) After suffering a collapse on the third day, England came back strongly in their second innings after being asked to follow-on by India. At stumps the visitors had put up a much improved batting performance with both of their openers managing to fend off the hosts’ bowlers while adding 111 runs for the first wicket. Captain Alastair Cook led from the registering half-century and was unbeaten on 74 along with his opening partner Nick Compton (34*). Earlier in the day, India had the English batsmen on the mat by bowling them out for 191 runs in their first innings taking a lead of 330 runs.